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How workplaces in the UAE can tackle mental health better
Burnout is becoming far too common in today's offices
Recently, a successful businessman client of mine, usually unflappable, confessed he felt a bit “unglued”. The cause? Losing a key employee who wore many hats and managed multiple roles effortlessly.
Her sudden departure, due to burnout, left him and his business in a bind.
"No one had noticed the employee struggling," he admitted, his voice revealing a mix of disbelief and distress.
This stark revelation underscores the urgent need for workplaces to better prioritise mental health, to prevent such unforeseen disruptions and ensure the well-being of their employees.
A survey of 15,000 workers across 15 countries conducted by McKinsey Health (2022) found that a whopping one-quarter of employees experienced burnout symptoms. But what should we be looking out for?
Signs and symptoms to look out for
According to the McKinsey Health survey and various research studies, a continuous combination of the following symptoms require intervention:
Emotional Symptoms:
Constant fatigue
Overwhelm
Cynicism
Emotional over reactivity
Hypersensitivity
Behavioral Symptoms:
Too many sick days
Repeated inability to meet deadlines
Diminished work ethic
Seemingly unprovoked agitation
Cognitive Symptoms:
Poor focus
Diminished productivity
These symptoms collectively can indicate a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that requires immediate employer attention to prevent further negative impacts on both the employees and the organisation.
The Significant Impact of Menopause/Perimenopause
Women make up a significant percentage of the workforce. They report increased stress, anxiety and depression alongside multiple physical symptoms during menopause/perimenopause. A whopping 80 percent of women in perimenopause are found in the workplace. 9 out of 10 will experience symptoms. 1 out of 3 confess their symptoms impact their work. 1 out of 4 confess they “hide” their symptoms. One in 4 will leave work as a result. Creating an environment where women feel comfortable can significantly improve their quality of life and work performance.
What Does This Mean for the Health of Your Organisation?
Employer Cost
When employees suffer from unattended stress, anxiety, depression, or burnout, the cost is significant.
Non-attendance: Consistent sick days impact team competence.
Reduced productivity: Efficiency is limited when employees feel overwhelmed.
Potential income replacement costs: Due to sick leave.
Voluntary departures: Result in a break in workflow and costs to hire new staff.
Cost to the employee: is just as impactful.
Quality of life: Numerous mental and physical health impacts of burnout.
Financial instability: Feeds into a loop of anxiety, depression, burnout, and stress.
Ripple effect: Stress affects family, dependents, and social life.
What Can Employers Do?
Happy, healthy employees are more engaged and committed to their work, boosting workforce performance, productivity, and profitability.
Prioritising workforce mental health and creating a culture of mutual respect and support is essential for long-term success.
1. Focus on Organisational Health
Active implementation of well-being policies and procedures ensure these guidelines are valuable strategies and not mere window dressing.
Teams in good health are less prone to expenses associated with absenteeism, turnover, and healthcare costs.
Clear Expectations: Having clear expectations in the workplace significantly impacts employee stress levels. Strategic clarity and role clarity should be unmistakably defined at all levels to minimise frustration and stress.
Time Management: An employee’s accurate understanding of business strategies can encourage adept implementation and support precision, promoting better time management and preventing overwhelm.
Role Clarity: When employees understand their personal role and responsibility, it leads to better focus, less overwhelm, and reduced burnout. Role clarity fosters personal commitment, a sense of purpose, and dedication to performance objectives, boosting both personal and organisational well-being.
2. Focus on Management Health
Investing in the mental health of your team leaders is vital.
Mentally Healthy Leaders: This is critical as they bridge management and employee relations, set the tone for communication within the organisation and significantly influence workplace culture through open, transparent engagement.
People-Skills Training: Leaders in employee-facing roles may require training to differentiate between someone struggling emotionally and someone with a bad attitude. Calm leaders naturally create a path for employees to achieve calmness.
Fair and Inclusive Standards: When workplace standards clearly implements fair and inclusive interpersonal behaviour, it eradicates unethical or demeaning management techniques and preserves workplace satisfaction.
3. Focus on Employee Health
“Your establishment is only as great as the people who embody your organisation’s mission”.
When people feel valued, they offer loyalty in return, creating a win-win situation.
Find ways to let employees know they matter
Regular Check-Ins: Conduct regular check-ins with staff, taking feedback seriously, either through anonymous surveys or in-person discussions. This ensures employees feel supported and more able to dedicate themselves to their role without the added stress of a toxic workplace environment.
Safety and Protection: Having well-defined, well implemented policies to handle disputes and bullying ensures that employees feel secure and can focus on their work, instead of being intimidated by workplace politics..
Encourage Unity: Promote a spirit of unity, purpose, and togetherness, verifying how much you value your employees.
Creating a supportive culture
Further to well-written policies, culture change involves:
Awareness and Education: Educate all leaders and employees about how to recognise signs of unresolved stress, anxiety menopause, perimenopause, and potential burnout.
Supportive Environment: Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their experiences. Almost everyone is stressed. Compassion and acceptance goes a long way.
Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer flexibility, within reason, to accommodate the multiple struggles experienced.
The issue with burnout
The insights from the McKinsey Health survey highlight the widespread occurrence of burnout symptoms among employees globally underscores the crucial need for organisations to place a greater emphasis on mental health in the workplace.
By focusing on the health and well-being of the organisation, its leadership, and individual team members, companies can enhances performance and productivity, contributing to overall success for employer and employee.
It’s time to bid farewell to workplace angst and welcome a new era of workplace satisfaction and fulfillment by proactively supporting the mental health and well-being of all organisation members.
For support www.drgeraldine.com.
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